1871day.year
Journalist Henry Morton Stanley begins his trek to find the missionary and explorer David Livingstone.
Henry Morton Stanley embarked on his famous African expedition from Zanzibar to locate the missing Dr. David Livingstone.
On March 21, 1871, the New York Herald commissioned journalist Henry Morton Stanley to venture into central Africa in search of the famed missionary Dr. David Livingstone. Departing from Zanzibar, Stanley traversed dense jungles, swamps, and disease-prone regions with local guides. His journey tested his endurance, leadership, and diplomacy as he negotiated passage through diverse tribal territories. After months of hardship, he famously greeted Livingstone in Ujiji with the words, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" The expedition captured the world's imagination and intensified European interest in African exploration.
Henry Morton Stanley
David Livingstone
1928day.year
Charles Lindbergh is presented with the Medal of Honor for the first solo trans-Atlantic flight.
Charles Lindbergh was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1928 for his groundbreaking solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic Ocean.
On May 20–21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew solo nonstop from New York to Paris in the Spirit of St. Louis, becoming the first person to complete such a journey. His feat captured the world’s imagination and marked a new era in aviation. As recognition, President Calvin Coolidge presented him with the Medal of Honor on March 21, 1928. This award is the United States’ highest military decoration for valor, though Lindbergh was a civilian at the time. His achievement spurred public enthusiasm for air travel and technological progress. Lindbergh’s flight also led to a contract with Transcontinental Air Transport, paving the way for commercial airlines. He remains an iconic figure in the history of flight.
1928
Charles Lindbergh
Medal of Honor
1965day.year
Ranger program: NASA launches Ranger 9, the last in a series of uncrewed lunar space probes.
On March 21, 1965, NASA launched Ranger 9, the final spacecraft in the Ranger program to capture high-resolution images of the lunar surface.
Ranger 9 represented the culmination of NASA’s ambitious program to photograph the Moon’s terrain prior to the Apollo landings. Equipped with a suite of television cameras, the probe transmitted thousands of close-up images back to Earth. These images provided critical data on potential landing sites and geological features. Launched atop an Atlas-Agena rocket, Ranger 9 performed flawlessly, reaching lunar distance in under 65 hours. Moments before impact, the spacecraft sent its most detailed pictures, surpassing the resolution of public telescopes. The mission concluded when Ranger 9 deliberately crashed into the Moon on March 24, 1965. The success of the mission boosted confidence in unmanned lunar exploration and laid groundwork for human missions. Ranger 9’s imagery remains a milestone in space reconnaissance.
1965
Ranger program
NASA
Ranger 9
space probes
2006day.year
The social media site Twitter (now officially named X) is founded.
Twitter is founded, launching a new era of social media microblogging.
On March 21, 2006, the social media platform Twitter was launched from San Francisco, introducing a novel approach to online communication through 140-character messages. Created by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams, Twitter allowed users to post and share brief updates in real time. Its hashtag and retweet features quickly fostered new forms of public conversation and community building. Twitter grew rapidly, attracting millions of users worldwide and transforming news, politics, and popular culture. The platform played a pivotal role in mobilizing social movements, enabling citizen journalism, and shaping digital marketing strategies. Over time, Twitter evolved its features and expanded its character limit to meet user needs. The founding of Twitter marked the beginning of a global phenomenon in social media and information sharing.
2006
social media
Twitter